Welcome to the first installment of a four-part series on querying literary agents. In this episode, we explore the pros and cons of publishing with a Big Five publisher versus an independent press. Whether you're writing fiction or nonfiction, traditionally publishing or submitting directly to publishers, this episode will help you clarify your publishing goals.Plus: A roundup of the latest publishing news, including the growing backlash against tech giants using books to train AI.️ Overthinking Couch Topics:The Big Five publishers: what they offer and what you give up.Independent presses: creative freedom and community.Why authors might choose commercial reach vs. a passionate niche.Important questions to ask yourself before querying.Ep 84: Query Letters vs Book Proposals - Writing BreakEp 68: Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing - Writing BreakPublishers Accepting Unagented ManuscriptsCrown Publishing Group Launches Book Imprint Dedicated to Black VoicesOpenAI copyright lawsuits from authors, New York Times consolidated in ManhattanFrench publishers and authors sue Meta over copyright works used in AI training‘Meta has stolen books’: authors to protest in London against AI trained using ‘shadow library’ | Books | The GuardianFree Style Sheet TemplatesFree Writing TipsMusic licensed from Storyblocks.